"My father was a kidder, and he could usually make me laugh; in laughing I was able to feel better about myself. He also gave me a piece of advice about beauty that has stayed with me. 'Beauty fades' he used to say, 'but dumb? Dumb is forever.' " Judge Judy's father impressed upon her that a bright intellect, a curious mind, and a passion for learning are priceless commodities. "For as long as I can remember," she writes, "the worst insult someone...